Beryl Robbins, Chairman
How would you answer a student who asks, “Why ALA Girls State instead of another program?” In the past, most of us have replied with statements such as “It’s a program that creates a mock state government, a chance for networking and mentorship, and it will develop you as a leader!” We need to translate that message into something they want to hear. Ask the student, “What would YOU do if you were governor? Would you be interested in meeting women who already have the career you want? Or are you interested in discovering your voice and how to empower it?” It’s important to know your target and where to find her. Did you know that most students spend 4.8 hours a day on social platforms, 72% open an App within five minutes of waking and 78% access social media primarily on their mobile device?
Marketing happens everywhere: at school, at a volunteer event, at a community meeting, in an email, during a conversation, and even at the grocery store. Every time someone asks, “What is ALA Girls State?” – that’s a marketing moment! One relationship, one story, one student at a time, and our program will continue to grow!
The Girls State Committee member, Ashley Cetnarowski and I attended the ALA Girls State National Conference held in Indianapolis September 18-20th. We shared, we listened, and we learned. The hardest part of the Girls State Program is reaching the students, organizations to sponsor them, and getting donations for our program. During our annual budget meeting this year, our Government Coordinator, Erika Rosebrook, shared demographics on where our 2026 ALA Girls State participants came from by ALA District, and it showed us where we need to work harder to recruit students. Districts 2, 5, 9, 10 & UPAA sponsored between 18 & 31 students; Districts 6, 7, 16, & 18 sponsored between 8 & 14 students; and Districts 3, 4, 8, & 19 sponsored between 2 & 6 students. Let’s work together to reach the schools and libraries in districts that need a “beacon of light” by sharing information about our outstanding leadership program!
If you have a junior member who attended our 2026 ALA Girls State program, or one that plans to attend in 2027, she can receive an ALA Girls State Patch. Send Chairman Beryl Robbins the attendee’s name and membership number. If they attended in 2026, we will mail their patch to them. To support this effort in the future, we added a question to the 2027 ALA Girls State Application asking whether the applicant is a junior member of the ALA and, if so, to provide her membership number. Those who respond will receive their patch at the 2027 closing ceremony.
In closing, our 2027 ALA Michigan Girls State program is scheduled for June 13 to June 19, 2027, on the campus of Michigan State University. Please note and follow these deadlines: Delegate Applications are due by April 30, 2027; Sponsor Reservations are due by May 15, 2027; and the Delegate online Registration deadline is June 1, 2027. Our forms and other important information are now available on our ALA Department of Michigan webpage at: https://michalaux.org/girls-state/.